US plans to spend billions to update air traffic control system after recent string of issues

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has unveiled a plan to modernise the ageing US air traffic control system at a cost of tens of billions of US dollars to address airport congestion, flight delays and safety.

Duffy announced the effort at a press conference at the Transportation Department in Washington, D.C on Thursday. He estimates that the project will take three to four years.

“This is bold. This is going to be challenging but we absolutely can do it,” he said.

The program will involve upgrading outdated radar and telecommunications systems, air traffic control towers and other facilities. It will also increase staffing of air traffic controllers.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to replace 618 radars, install anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, build six new air traffic control centres and expand its ADS-B network of real-time aircraft traffic information.

Acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said, “It’s long past time when we need to fix this problem”.

Duffy, joined by five airline CEOs and senior executives at Boeing and Airbus, did not set a precise figure for the overhaul that he has previously estimated will cost “tens of billions of dollars.”

Recent air traffic control incidents

The FAA’s air traffic control network’s woes have been years in the making. But a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January have spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

Also attending the announcement were relatives of some of the 67 people killed on January 29 in the mid-air collision between a US Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet.

There has also been a string of incidents where pilots have lost communication with the air traffic controllers, leading to panic and confusion. The recent 90-second radar and comms blackout for controllers overseeing Newark Liberty International Airport resulted in a cascade of cancellations and delays that lasted more than a week. This led to the revelation that air traffic controllers are facing about 1,000 equipment failures per week due to old equipment. A fried piece of copper wire caused the Newark outage.

Duffy has said he wants new funding for airport equipment to prevent near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic controller hiring, which is 3,500 short of targeted staffing.

President Donald Trump proposed privatising air traffic control during his first term in 2017, but Congress never acted on his proposal.

Airlines and others are expected to call for around US$31 billion in spending. A US House panel has proposed US$12.5 billion in initial spending on air traffic control reform, including US$2.5 billion for air traffic tower and contract-tower replacements.